NEW housing legislation could mean local people miss out on buying their council house.

This is the fear for two Colwyn Bay councillors who say there is not enough affordable housing in the area. They believe loopholes in the waiting list system allows those new to the area to move into Conwy and register as homeless, or in need of housing and jump the queue.

Powers devolved from Westminster mean Assembly ministers can now suspend former council tenants’ rights to buy their long-term homes when areas have a chronic housing shortage. Consequently the legislative competence order has been branded as ‘unfair’.

Housing association Cartrefi Conwy took over the running from Conwy County Council’s 3,800 council homes in September 2008 and the vast majority of tenants are originally tenants of the local authority.

Former tenants of Conwy County Council are entitled to a price-cut, typically of around £16,000, to allow them the opportunity to buy their home from Cartrefi Conwy.

Cllr Bob Squire believes Colwyn Bay’s bedsit and flats culture could see former council house tenants refused the right to buy their homes so in-comers from outside the area can be housed with affordable housing.

“Somebody under the current agreement, who has been in their home for a number of years should still be entitled to purchase their home,” he said.

“Whilst I agree we need social housing for local people, I don’t agree these houses should be made available for people who have only been in the area for a number of months.”

Cllr Cheryl Carlisle agreed: “There is a massive shortage of affordable housing. If the Assembly stop local people being able to buy their homes at an affordable rate it is a disgrace.

“The fact is people can jump the housing list, I’ve got generations and generations of families in Old Colwyn who are unable to get a house in the local community.

“This will make this much worse. The loophole means Conwy can take residents from outside the area who leapfrog local young people waiting for a long time on the housing list.”

Conwy’s housing shortage is being addressed by the agreed local development plan which will see between 6,800 and 7,900 homes built over the next 12 years, with a proportion planned as affordable homes. Conwy Council will also be conducting an empty homes survey over the next two months to gage how many homes may be available for those on the waiting lists.

“I would say withdrawing the right to buy would be welcomed, once a property is sold it is lost to the social housing sector,” he said.

“My personal view is it is right to suspend the right to buy, the opportunity to replace that housing stock has been substantially reduced and will be further reduced in the future because there is less Assembly money to provide for new affordable housing in Conwy.

“There has been a reduction in Assembly grants to allow companies like myself to build affordable rented accommodation, housing associations are still building but it is becoming more challenging to build more rented social housing in the future.

“I believe if something is available now to suspend that it would be a benefit to those people who haven’t got, or are awaiting accommodation.”